About Me

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Saturday's Excerpt from Wolves' Pawn by P. J. MacLayne #MFRWauthor

Excerpt From Wolves' Pawn by P.J. MacLayne

They were being followed. The four right turns they’d made
proved it. One SUV, one pair of motorcyclists. She and Tasha needed to split
up. Dot spotted a break in traffic, geared down, made a hard left and headed
down an alley. Tasha followed her, but oncoming cars blocked their pursuers for
the time being. At the end of the alley, a left-hand turn put them going the
opposite way she wanted to go, but also gave them a chance to pull into the
parking lot of a biker bar. She nosed her bike among the others and checked to
see that Tasha did the same.

A couple of
bikers stood outside smoking, and she pulled off her helmet as she walked up to
them, fluffing up her hair with one hand, waiting until Tasha caught up with her.
“Follow my lead,” Dot said quietly. Then, fluttering her eyes and leisurely
unzipping her jacket, she went up to them. “How’s it going, boys?”

“Better
now,” grinned one. “Care for a smoke?”

Dot
accepted a cigarette and let the biker light it for her, while she watched the
parking lot and the street beyond. “You ever have any trouble with anyone
messing with your bikes here?”

“Used to,
but since the bar owner added a new security system,” he poked another of the
men in the ribs, “We haven’t had any problems.”

It must
have been a long-standing joke, because both men roared with laughter. Dot
grinned. “We were a little worried,” she said. “We stopped at a convenience
store down the road and a couple of suspicious guys were eying our bikes. We
hope to have time for a beer, but are afraid to leave them for very long.”

The SUV
that had been following them slowly rolled down the street, and Dot felt Tasha
jab her in the ribs. She barely nodded in acknowledgment. “If you ladies want a
beer, we’ll keep an eye on things out here for you. We’re waiting for a friend
anyway.”

“Thanks.”
Dot dropped the cigarette on the ground and ground it into the dirt with the
toe of her boot. “Maybe I can buy you one later.”

“Well, I
would like that but the old lady wouldn’t and she’s inside, so I’m going to
have to decline the offer.” He grinned. “Maybe another time.”

She pouted
and sighed. “Just my luck.”

“What are you doing?” Tasha asked as
they headed inside.

“Just
playing the game,” Dot explained in a low voice. “And I’m not done yet.”

The bar
wasn’t crowded and Dot picked a bar stool in the middle of an unoccupied
stretch, and Tasha took a seat beside her, clearly uncomfortable. “Beer,” Dot
told the bartender. When he moved out of earshot she explained, “My mental voice
isn’t focused enough yet to use in a place like this. I can’t guarantee it
won’t be overheard.”

The drinks
arrived, and Dot paid for them, smiling broadly at the server. “You ladies from
around here?” he asked.

“No, just
in town for a few days, hoping to have some fun while we’re here.”

“You’ve
come to the right place.”

Tasha
scanned the bar nervously. They were too close to Choate territory. When the
barman moved away Dot asked “Anyone in here kin?”

“Not that I
can sense.”

“Good.
Drink your beer now.”

It didn’t
take long until a man slid into the barstool beside Dot. “You ladies want some
company?”

“Depends on
who’s asking,” she said, turning towards him with what she hoped was a dazzling
smile.

“Care to
join me and my friends?” With a jerk of
his head, he indicated two men at one of the tables. They were typical bikers,
big, burly men dressed in black leather jackets, jeans, with scarfs on their
heads. Just what Dot was hoping for.

“Sure.” She
picked up her beer and slid off her seat. “I’m Maria, this is my friend Trish.”

Tasha
wanted to object, but Dot seemed to know what she was doing. They pulled up
chairs and Tasha kept one eye on the
front door while she watched Dot flirt with each man in turn. Her diligence was
rewarded when two men walked in and she caught the distinct scent of wolf. She
kicked Dot under the table. Dot half-turned to her and nodded.

“You want
another beer?” one man asked as Dot drained her glass.

“I’d better
not,” she said, sounding reluctant. “I don’t like to drink and drive.” She
glanced around the bar and faked a look of dismay. “Oh, no.”

“What?”
asked her new friend.

“See those
two men at the bar?” Dot chewed on her lower lip. “I think those are guys who
gave us a bad time earlier today.”

“You sure?”

“No.” She
leaned forward. “Tell you what. We’ll make a trip to the restroom, and you keep
an eye on them. When we come back you can tell us what happens.” She stood and
grabbed Tasha’s hand. “Come on.”

When they
got to the restroom, Dot checked to make sure all the stalls were empty.
“Here’s the plan, Tasha. We’ll have the guys run interference so we can get out
of here. My guess is that the others are waiting outside. Hopefully our buddies
are making sure no one messes with the bikes. You still have that revolver
strapped to your leg?”

“How'd you
know about that?” Tasha thought she’d kept it hidden.

“Never
mind. Put it in your pocket. You may need to use it.”

“You want
me to shoot them?”

“No. Their
tires. If the SUV follows us, we’ll stick together. If they follow on
motorcycles, we’ll have to split up. When we get back to the table, switch
helmets. It might confuse them.”

“Are you
sure you know what you’re doing?”

“You have a
better idea?”

“No.”

“I’m glad
we filled up a few miles back. We should have enough gas to get back to the
village. You know how to get there from here, right?”

Dot
grinned. “Depends upon your definition of unnecessary. Now my advice is to use
the facilities while we’re here. Then put on your sexiest smile and we’ll play
the rest of the game.”

When they
left the restroom, they had to walk past the bar. The two men blocked their
way. Dot instantly noticed the yellowish tint of their eyes.

“Going
somewhere?” one asked with a sneer.

A large
hand was placed on his shoulder. The other man found a large arm wrapped around
his neck, and the bartender casually hefted a gun he’d pulled from under the
bar. “You ladies ride safe,” the bartender said. Dot blew him a kiss, and she
and Tasha grabbed their helmets and left.

“Nobody
touched your bikes,” the man Dot had been talking to outside told them as they
exited. “Although a couple of guys were sniffing around them.”

“Thanks.”
Dot stood on her toes and kissed the man on the cheek. “Appreciate the help.”

Tasha
sniffed the air as they approached the bike. “Kin.”

Dot nodded. “Stick to the
plan, Tasha. I’ve done this before and you haven’t.”

“We should
stick together.”

“They won’t
hurt me, Tasha, they want me alive. You’re the one in danger. I’m betting we
will be followed by the motorcycles, and splitting up is the best thing. If one
follows you, shoot out the tires and then get back to the village as fast as
your bike will go.”

Tasha put
on Dot’s helmet and adjusted the chin strap. She hesitated before climbing on
her bike. “Good luck, Dot.”

Dot
grinned. “Good hunting, Tasha.”

Wolves' Pawn can be purchased at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVDD1G4